Civic chaos snarls daily life around SRDF Vivekananda Vidyalaya in Chromepet

In the quiet residential stretch of Gajalakshmi Nagar, Chromepet, a handful of everyday annoyances have grown into a full‑blown headache for anyone who steps out of the gate of SRDF Vivekananda Vidyalaya. The school, which educates more than 3,000 youngsters across four campuses, sits beside a road that looks as if it’s been through a war zone.

First Main Road, the narrow artery that leads to the school’s rear entrance, is riddled with potholes that look like miniature craters. Cyclists, who make up a good chunk of the student body, constantly complain about wobbling wheels and sudden jolts. “My leg twisted once when I was pedalling over a dip,” recalls V. Rohan Malolan, a class‑12 student, his tone half‑amused, half‑exasperated. The same uneven stretch is also traversed daily by MTC buses and tip‑per‑lorries, which only amplify the wear and tear.

Just a few metres away, on Mahadevan Street – the main front of the school – a rain‑water harvesting channel that was supposed to usher away storm water has turned into a miniature river of murky water. During a recent downpour, the channel overflowed, spilling onto the road and flooding the school’s entrance. “The water was up to my shoes the other day,” says Poonguzhali, a concerned parent. The stagnant, sewage‑tainted flow not only makes a mess of the pavement but also raises serious health alarms for the children.

The school’s administrative officer, Parthiban, says they have formally complained to the Tambaram Corporation several times. “We placed a concrete slab earlier, but the water finds another way around it,” he notes, frustration evident in his voice. Yet, weeks later, the crack remains, and the potholes are still waiting for a fix.

Local residents have started gathering, hoping a collective voice will finally shake the municipal authorities into action. They’re not just asking for a quick patch; they want a permanent solution – proper resurfacing of First Main Road, a functional drainage system, and adequate safety measures such as speed‑calming signs and proper pedestrian pathways.

Until the corporation steps up, students will keep dodging potholes, parents will continue to dread the soggy walkways, and the community will watch, waiting for a promise that doesn’t dissolve with the next rainstorm.